COLUMBUS — No matter what all the empty seats say, the Buckeyes contend there is a purpose to all these mid-major games fans are asked to endure through November and December.

If things go to plan, Ohio State will enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed. If things get a little sideways, maybe it will be a 2-, 3-, or 4-seed. Regardless, that almost assures that the Buckeyes would see a mid-major in that first round match-up — and history shows No. 15s can upset No. 2s.

“It’s games like this that will prepare us for games like that,” Ohio State senior guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. said. “You have to prepare for them just like you have to prepare for the No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 team in the country.”

And the 12-0 Buckeyes have had their share of practice. They’ll also get one more such tune-up tonight at 7 p.m. in the Schottenstein Center when 3-3 Louisiana-Monroe comes to town.

“When they see somebody like the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, that’s their shot,” Smith said. “That makes us be on the alert and on our toes even more because those are typically the games you have to make yourself play and get up for.

“Sometimes you can come out lackadaisical and think you can take teams lightly and that’s when you get upsets.”

The Buckeyes were locked in against Morgan State, North Florida, Bryant and North Dakota State. They were also less so against Ohio U., American, Wyoming, Central Connecticut State and Delaware.

Regardless, none of the mid-majors came within 10 points of beating the second-ranked Buckeyes when it was all over.

“This program has won 23 of its last 24 games dating back to last year,” Ohio State coach Thad Matta said after the 76-64 win over Delaware. “Our job is to get these guys back focused to where this is what we do to win the basketball games.”

Even experienced teams playing outmanned squads can have let-downs, and the Buckeyes aren’t immune. The difference between Ohio State and other major conference schools that have been upset is that the Buckeyes don’t let the let-downs linger long in the course of a game.

Whether it’s holding teams to ridiculously bad shooting percentages or getting easy baskets in transition, Ohio State has found ways to avoid bad fates against the smaller programs on its schedule.

“Other teams have great players. We’ve had to play against guys who can go,” Smith said. “Thinking back to (Delaware), they had three or four scorers that can score with anybody in any league at any time. We have to prepare for them like we prepare for anyone else.”

But wouldn’t they like another challenge or two on the schedule along the lines of the road trip to Marquette, the showcase game against Notre Dame in Madison Square Garden or the Big Ten-ACC Challenge with Maryland?

Senior captain Aaron Craft simply repeats the company line.

“Every time we have an opportunity to put on a jersey, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing,” Craft said. “We don’t want to take those opportunities for granted. Our focus right now is on us. There is a lot of time to get better and there’s still a lot of basketball to be played regardless of who we have to prepare for. Our job and responsibility doesn’t change. We have to find a way to get better.”

Besides, they’ll be tested plenty when the Big Ten season starts next week.

Rob McCurdy covers Ohio State men’s basketball for the Media Network of Central Ohio and can be reached at rmccurdy@gannett.com or 419-521-7241. On Twitter follow @McMotorsport.